In igniter systems for gas burning heating units particularly those using propane or butane gas it is necessary that the system be provided with a hundred percent shut off in the event of ignition failure. Representative of the prior art is Weber U.S. Pat. No. 3,174,535. This patent has no shut off valve such as employed in the present system to provide a hundred percent shut off of gas flow into the system in case of failure of the ignition system. Nor does the Weber patent disclose a flame switch shut off of the main gas valve in the event the pilot flame is extinguished. Nor does the Weber describe or show means in the battery charging line which prevents reverse flow of the current from the battery to the charging thermopiles of the system nor a damper control system to reduce stand-by losses.